Written Answers Thursday 5 March 2009

Scottish Executive

Apprenticeships

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to explore opportunities to develop an apprenticeship route into the creative media industries.

Michael Russell: It is for Sector Skills Councils to determine the skills needs of their industry and to identify relevant and appropriate training opportunities to meet the needs of employers. Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for the creative media industries.

  Should employers in the creative media industries require a modern apprenticeship framework, it would be for Skillset to develop an appropriate framework for approval by Scotland’s Modern Apprenticeship Group.

Bankruptcy

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many debtor-led petitions for bankruptcy there were in the last quarter for which information is available and how this compares with the same quarter in the previous year.

Fergus Ewing: Prior to 1 April 2008, debtors presented petitions for their own bankruptcy to the courts. Since 1 April 2008 those people who wish to make themselves bankrupt must apply directly to the Accountant in Bankruptcy by way of debtor application.

  The following table shows the number of debtor petitions to the courts in the third quarter of 2007-08 and the number of debtor applications to the Accountant in Bankruptcy in the third quarter of 2008-09. The number of awards of bankruptcy as a result of debtor petitions or applications in the same periods are also shown.

  There is no direct correlation between the petitions or applications for bankruptcy and those awarded in any particular period of time due to internal processes.

  Debtor Petitions/Applications and Awards – Third Quarter

  

 
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Debtor petitions to the courts
 604
 - 


 Debtor applications to AiB
 -
 3,245


 Awards as a result of debtor petition/application
 619
 3,251



  Note: Information on numbers of petitions supplied by the Scottish Court Service. Information on debtor applications and awards collated by the Accountant in Bankruptcy.

  *No information is recorded on debtor petitions to the Court of Session – the vast majority of debtor petitions would have been presented at a sheriff court.

  No direct comparison can be made between the figures in the current year and figures reported on in previous years as the application process and criteria for award of bankruptcy are different.

  The number of debtor applications and the increase in the number of awards in 2008-09 is associated to a new route into bankruptcy for those with Low Income, Low Assets (LILA) which was introduced on 1 April 2008.

Bankruptcy

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many creditor-led petitions for bankruptcy there were in the last quarter for which information is available and how this compares with the same quarter in the previous year.

Fergus Ewing: Prior to 1 April 2008 petitions for bankruptcy were considered by both the sheriff courts and the Court of Session. Since 1 April 2008 it is no longer competent to raise a petition for bankruptcy in the Court of Session.

  The information in the table below reports on petitions to the sheriff courts only. During the third quarter of 2007-08 some petitions will have been presented at the Court of Session however the data collated by the Court of Session cannot be broken down by source of petition for bankruptcy and can therefore not be included. Historically, significantly fewer petitions have been presented to the Court of Session than to sheriff courts.

  Creditor-Led Petitions and Bankruptcy Awards – Third Quarter

  

 
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Creditor-led petitions to sheriff courts
 1,455
 1,118


 Awards of bankruptcy following creditor petition 
 823
 616



  Note: Information on numbers of petitions supplied by the Scottish Court Service. Information on awards of bankruptcy following creditors petition collated by the Accountant in Bankruptcy. Awards information includes awards following petition to the Court of Session in 2007-08.

Broadcasting Industry

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in ensuring that the broadcasting industry has access to a highly skilled and flexible workforce.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is keen to ensure that the broadcasting industry has access to a highly skilled and flexible workforce. Progress towards this will be set out in our response to the Scottish Broadcasting Commission’s report, which will be published shortly. The most significant achievement to date, announced on 10 February by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, is that the Scottish Funding Council had decided to award £5.8 million over five years to Skillset to strengthen creative media education at a number of higher and further education institutions. Approximately £400,000 of it each year will help to fund an additional 80 postgraduate students – 40 in broadcasting and 40 in other creative industries.

Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has under the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 to regulate community care charges.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances it would use powers provided in the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 to regulate community care charges.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that consistency of charging for community care across Scotland is desirable.

Shona Robison: The Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 gave ministers powers to regulate charges for social care. However, the Scottish Executive made clear at that time that it would support self-regulation by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) if it achieved consistency. It also made a commitment to hold these powers in reserve until implementation of COSLA’s guidance on charging was evaluated. In its Stage 1 Report on the Bill, the Health and Community Care Committee of the Scottish Parliament endorsed the approach of COSLA in preparing the guidance, and the reserve powers being taken by ministers.

  The evaluation of the guidance began in 2004 and revised guidance was issued in 2006. Key stakeholders, including the Scottish Executive were involved in the consultation process. The guidance is currently under further review by COSLA. We continue to support the aim of the COSLA guidance to achieve consistency, whilst allowing for local authority discretion in ensuring that charges are reasonable for each individual client.

  The Scottish Government has no plans at present to use its reserve powers under the 2002 act to regulate charges for social care.

Creative Industries

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will open up access to careers in creative media industries to a wider cross-section of the community.

Michael Russell: Increasing access to careers in the creative media industries is a shared responsibility for the government, the Scottish Funding Council, Sector Skills Councils and individual institutions. For example, the Scottish Government’s Determined to Succeed strategy aims to better prepare children and young people for the world of work. We also want to ensure that everyone who has the ability gets the opportunity to study for a higher education qualification whatever their background or personal circumstances.

  Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for the creative media, is working with Creative Loop, a consortium of colleges that is accredited as a media academy, to develop creative media courses that have strong links with the community. All the media academies in Scotland are also creating new, more flexible progression routes through the industry.

  Skillset also provides a careers advice service offering unbiased, quality advice on careers in the industry. This can be accessed online through their website, or via the Skills Development Scotland free phone service.

Culture

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19949 by Linda Fabiani on 2 February 2009, what options are being considered for the development of the cultural site at Granton.

Michael Russell: Options being considered relate to the phasing of the archive storage needs of the National Collections, including the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.

Economy

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to the North Ayrshire economy.

John Swinney: The Government Economic Strategy sets out an approach to growth which is cohesive across Scotland’s regions, including Ayrshire.

  Through the strategy and - more recently - through our six point programme of economic recovery, we have put sustainable economic growth at the heart of everything we do and are focused on raising skills, improving productivity and on safeguarding and creating jobs across Scotland. Our current plans to accelerate nearly £293 million in capital expenditure, will support some 4,700 jobs across Scotland - many of which will be in Ayrshire.

Economy

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that maintaining economic activity in remote areas and food production are public goods.

Richard Lochhead: Maintaining economic activity in remote areas and maintaining capacity to produce food are public goods that deliver social, economic and environmental benefits.

Equal Pay

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the costs associated with meeting equal pay obligations will be included in monitoring and reviewing the concordat with COSLA and local authorities.

John Swinney: Through the oversight arrangements it has put in place to monitor and review the concordat, the Scottish Government is in regular contact with COSLA on a range of issues including the financial pressures, such as equal pay obligations, facing local authorities.

Fair Trade

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2009, what discussions have taken place with the Accounts Commission for Scotland regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with Architecture and Design Scotland regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with Bòrd na Gàidhlig regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with the Building Standards Advisory Committee regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with the Cairngorms National Park Authority regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with the Crofters Commission regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with the Deer Commission for Scotland regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with the Fisheries (Electricity) Committee regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with the General Teaching Council for Scotland regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with Highlands and Islands Enterprise regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with Learning and Teaching Scotland regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18193 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what discussions have taken place with NHS 24 regarding the measures that it is taking to promote fair trade.

Michael Russell: Beyond guidance already issued in 2005, the Scottish Government has had no recent contact with agencies in Scotland regarding measures to promote fair trade.

  The Scottish Government provides core funding to the Scottish Fair Trade Forum who are responsible for promoting and raising awareness of fair trade throughout Scotland.

First Minister

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what subjects were discussed at the meeting between the First Minister and the US Secretary of State.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what engagements the First Minister undertook during his visit to the United States of America; what topics were dealt with in each case, and whether he proposes to make a statement on these matters.

Nigel Don (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the main outcomes of the First Minister’s recent visit to the United States of America.

Michael Russell: The First Minister made a two day visit to Washington DC last week to raise Scotland’s profile in the US; to strengthen relationships with key policymakers, particularly in the new administration, and to promote the Year of Homecoming in one of Scotland’s biggest tourist markets.

  The First Minister met with important figures in the new US administration. The First Minister’s meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton marked the deepening friendship between our two nations and provided a good basis for further on-going dialogue in important areas of mutual interest, such as climate change and Scotland’s renewable energy potential. The First Minister also met with Dr Christina Romer, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, to discuss efforts to promote economic recovery, the US stimulus package, and possible areas for future policy discussion and cooperation between the US and Scotland.

  The First Minister’s visit to the United States coincided with the launch of a new Scottish Caucus in the US Senate. The newly announced Caucus is one of very few in the US Senate and reflects the ability and efforts of Senator Jim Webb (D-Virginia) and his colleagues. With 30 US Senators – a third of the Senate – now joining the 50 members of the Friends of Scotland Caucus in the House of Representatives, Scotland now has a significant asset to promote our long-term interests in the United States.

  In addition, the First Minister hosted a reception to promote scotch whisky, delivered a lecture at Georgetown University, and gave the keynote address at a prestigious symposium on the life and works of Robert Burns, at the Library of Congress. He also undertook various media engagements to publicise the Year of Homecoming and to promote key Scottish industries such as renewable energy, tourism and food and drink, in an effort to spur economic recovery in Scotland.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19958 by Nicola Sturgeon on 2 February 2009, on how many occasions in 2009 death certificates issued in 2008 by the (a) Western Infirmary in Glasgow and (b) Gartnavel General Hospital were amended to show Clostridium difficile as a contributory factor.

Nicola Sturgeon: General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) has confirmed that no amendments have been made to death certificates issued by these hospitals, and that June 2009 is the statistical cut off point for any amendments to death certificates issued in 2008.

Historical Monuments

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19950 by Linda Fabiani on 2 February 2009, what advice or comment has been sought or received from external sources or stakeholders, other than external consultants, on the best way to deliver the services currently provided by the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments.

Michael Russell: We have not sought comment from external sources or stakeholders on the future status of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Correspondence on the future of the Royal Commission has been received from one special interest group and several individuals.

Historical Monuments

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19951 by Linda Fabiani on 2 February 2009, whether it will provide details of the stakeholders from whom it has received correspondence on its review of the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments and whether it will publish the representations that it has received.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government’s Simplification Programme did not specifically include a review of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. However, correspondence on the future of the Royal Commission has been received from one special interest group and several individuals.

Historical Monuments

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19951 by Linda Fabiani on 2 February 2009, whether it has considered conducting a formal consultation on the future of the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments.

Michael Russell: No formal consultation on the future of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland has been carried out.

Historical Monuments

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19952 by Linda Fabiani on 2 February 2009, for what reasons the budget for the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments has been reduced in 2010-11.

Michael Russell: The budget figures in the answer to question S3W-19952 include the commission’s share of the agreed portfolio efficiency savings for the current spending review period. These apply to all public bodies in the portfolio.

Historical Monuments

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19952 by Linda Fabiani on 2 February 2009, what areas of the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments budget it expects to reduce as a result of the reduction to the 2010-11 budget.

Michael Russell: The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments proposes in its Efficiency Savings Plan, submitted in March 2008, that savings will be made by collaboration with other public bodies on joint projects.

Hospices

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde board meeting on 24 February 2009, what action has been agreed to resolve the dispute over the future of St Margaret of Scotland Hospice.

Nicola Sturgeon: The board of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde agreed to continue funding of the 30 bed continuing care facility at St. Margaret’s until early 2012. The board will work with St. Margaret’s to agree an alternative model of care, and to ensure that they are not financially disadvantaged during the transitional period. It is now a matter for both sides to engage in dialogue to ensure that the change of role for these beds after early 2012 can be achieved and within the timescales indicated.

Housing

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to raise public awareness of its mortgage to shared equity scheme.

Alex Neil: We have already taken, or will soon be taking, a series of actions to raise awareness of the Home Owners Support Fund, including the new mortgage to shared equity and the revised mortgage to rent schemes, including:

  Writing to all local authorities, registered social landlords, COSLA and the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations to encourage social landlords to participate in the revised mortgage to rent scheme and raise awareness among staff of the new schemes;

  Arranging training with Money Advice Scotland and Citizens Advice Scotland so that advisers can make people in difficulty aware of what support is available;

  Writing to all Scottish MPs and MSPs with information on the schemes and recommending they advise constituents in financial difficulty to contact independent advice as soon as they can;

  Distributing information leaflets to registered social landlords, advice agencies, local authorities and others so they can help people in difficulty;

  Producing new advertising for the schemes to make people aware of the Home Owners Support Fund, and

  Running workshops at national housing conferences to raise awareness within the sector.

  We are also raising awareness more generally through the Scottish Government website and there will be a telephone helpline so that people can access information.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average social housing rents were for (a) 2007 and (b) 2008, broken down by local authority.

Alex Neil: Statistics on average local authority rents are published on the Housing Statistics for Scotland website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/HRA2008-09.

  Statistics on average Registered Social Landlord (RSL) rents are published by the Scottish Housing Regulator at:

  http://www.scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk/stellent/groups/public/documents/webpages/shr_amendment151208-statsfront.hcsp#TopOfPage.

  Average weekly rents for the last two years, broken down by local authority area, for local authorities and RSLs are shown in table 1 and table 2 respectively.

  Table 1 – Local Authority Average Weekly Rents

  

 Local Authority Area
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Aberdeen City 
 48.84
 51.96


 Aberdeenshire 
 44.81
 46.90


 Angus 
 40.11
 41.96


 Argyll and Bute 
 na
 na


 Clackmannanshire 
 43.73
 45.30


 Dumfries and Galloway 
 na
 na


 Dundee City
 48.41
 50.34


 East Ayrshire
 44.85
 46.80


 East Dunbartonshire
 49.97
 51.69


 East Lothian 
 37.42
 38.85


 East Renfrewshire 
 45.06
 46.56


 Edinburgh, City of
 54.82
 61.57


 Eilean Siar
 na
 na


 Falkirk 
 45.78
 46.93


 Fife 
 45.03
 47.10


 Glasgow City 
 na
 na


 Highland 
 50.95
 53.80


 Inverclyde 
 59.42
 na


 Midlothian
 38.05
 40.61


 Moray 
 36.78
 38.07


 North Ayrshire
 44.19
 47.28


 North Lanarkshire 
 45.65
 47.23


 Orkney Islands 
 42.53
 44.32


 Perth and Kinross 
 41.65
 44.00


 Renfrewshire 
 52.74
 54.17


 Scottish Borders 
 na
 na


 Shetland Islands 
 52.80
 53.85


 South Ayrshire 
 45.17
 47.57


 South Lanarkshire 
 46.68
 48.27


 Stirling
 45.89
 48.34


 West Dunbartonshire
 44.83
 45.82


 West Lothian
 47.70
 49.37



  Source: Housing Revenue Account returns to SG

  Note: values of "na" are for local authorities that have transferred their stock to housing associations.

  Table 2 – Registered Social Landlord (RSL) Weekly Secure Rents

  

 Local Authority Area
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Aberdeen City
 52.39
 55.80


 Aberdeenshire
 49.55
 53.54


 Angus
 48.22
 52.32


 Argyll and Bute
 47.62
 51.37


 City of Edinburgh
 54.49
 56.69


 City of Glasgow
 52.74
 54.83


 Clackmannanshire
 51.16
 53.87


 Dumfries and Galloway
 49.70
 51.71


 Dundee City
 50.02
 54.12


 East Ayrshire
 55.44
 59.99


 East Dunbartonshire
 51.34
 54.68


 East Lothian
 55.04
 58.04


 East Renfrewshire
 55.68
 58.26


 Falkirk
 47.44
 50.09


 Fife
 50.45
 54.27


 Highland
 51.34
 53.65


 Inverclyde
 52.84
 60.79


 Midlothian
 54.09
 57.16


 Moray
 49.93
 52.14


 North Ayrshire
 51.94
 59.35


 North Lanarkshire
 52.70
 55.87


 Orkney Islands
 47.46
 53.07


 Perth and Kinross
 47.75
 50.83


 Renfrewshire
 52.86
 55.46


 Scottish Borders
 47.29
 50.47


 Shetland Islands
 54.00
 56.63


 South Ayrshire
 56.95
 59.31


 South Lanarkshire
 53.07
 57.21


 Stirling
 52.23
 54.35


 West Dunbartonshire
 49.46
 53.09


 Western Isles
 46.50
 51.86


 West Lothian
 51.58
 54.34



  Source: Scottish Housing Regulator; Annual Performance and Statistical Returns 2006-07, 2007-08.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19205 by Kenny MacAskill on 15 January 2009, in relation to the delivery of speedier and more immediate community penalties, (a) what targets it has set, (b) when it expects to achieve these targets and (c) whether it plans to make information on the progress of this goal publicly accessible and, if so, how it intends to do this.

Kenny MacAskill: We have been working very closely with our professional stakeholders to agree a new tighter framework for starting and completing community sentences. New guidance in respect of community service orders, which is about to be issued, will require post sentence interviews to be carried out within one working day of the order being made by the court and the work placement to start within seven working days. The new arrangements will inevitably take time to bed in but should lead to significant improvements over current levels of performance.

  An audit of local authorities’ performance during November 2008 in relation to time taken to start placements is currently in progress and will be repeated in 12 months time. The results of these audits, when completed, will be made available at the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (SPICe).

Justice

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many crimes were committed by people under 18 in the Lothians region in 2008 and how many of these were by (a) first-time offenders and (b) repeat offenders.

Fergus Ewing: This information has been taken from the Scottish Government’s Court Proceedings database and does not include young people who have been referred to the reporter. In 2006-07, the latest year for which information is available, there were 641 individuals under 18 with a charge proved for a crime or offence in the Lothian Region. Of these, 393 had committed no previous crimes/offences in the period back to 1 April 1997 and 248 had committed at least one previous crime/offence over the same period.

Museums and Galleries

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it provides to Glasgow museums, broken down by award.

Michael Russell: Provision for cultural services is included as part of the overall general resources the Scottish Government provides through the Local Government Finance settlement. It is a matter for local authorities themselves to decide how to allocate its resources for a particular service based on their local needs and priorities.

  Glasgow has access to central government funding via Museums Galleries Scotland, which distributes grants to museums and galleries throughout Scotland. In 2008-09, Glasgow City Council applied for, and received, grants totalling £11,500. In addition, Glasgow City Council is currently completing a project funded under the Regional Development Challenge Scheme for which it received a total of just under £400,000 over the four years to 2007-08. Glasgow has now also bid for funding under Museums Galleries Scotland’s Recognition Scheme. A decision will be made shortly.

Museums and Galleries

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding it allocated to the National Galleries of Scotland and the National Museum of Scotland in 2008-09.

Michael Russell: The funding for 2008-09 for the National Museums of Scotland and National Galleries of Scotland is set out in the following tables:

  National Galleries of Scotland Financial Allocation

  

 
2008-09 £ Million


 Running Costs
 12.213 


 Purchases (including funding for Titian’s Diana and Actaeon)
 7.760 


 Capital for Portrait Gallery 
 0.999 


 Capital charges (non-cash revenue budget)
 4.589 


 Total
 25.561 



  National Museums Scotland Financial Allocation

  

 
2008-09 £ Million


 Running Costs
 21.078


 Purchases (including National Fund for Acquisitions
 0.710


 Capital - Royal Museum and Museum of Flight
 5.261


 Capital charges (non-cash revenue budget)
 9.500


 Total
 36.549

Museums and Galleries

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what projected level of funding it will allocate to the National Galleries of Scotland and the National Museum of Scotland in 2009-10.

Michael Russell: The projected funding for 2009-10 for the National Museums of Scotland and the National Galleries of Scotland is set out in the following tables.

  National Galleries of Scotland Financial Allocation

  

 
2009-10 £ Million


 Running Costs
 12.411 


 Purchases (including funding for Titian’s Diana and Actaeon)
 6.260 


 Capital for Portrait Gallery 
 2.031 


 Capital charges (non-cash revenue budget)
 3.014 


 Total
 23.716 



  National Museums Scotland Financial allocation

  

 
2009-10 £ Million


 Running Costs
 21.270


 Purchases (including National Fund for Acquisitions)
 0.710


 Capital for Royal Museum Project
 4.261


 Capital charges (non-cash revenue budget)
 6.676


 Total
 32.917

Museums and Galleries

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding it allocated to the Museums Galleries Scotland Recognition Scheme in 2008-09 and how much of this was allocated to museums and galleries in Glasgow.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government allocated £1,235,000 to Museums Galleries Scotland for the Recognition Scheme in 2008-09. £600,000 is allocated to the three major industrial museums and approximately £600,000 is available for grants to the recognised collections. There are now 33 collections in 27 museums which have been recognised as being of international or national importance. The holders of the collections can apply for a grant of up to £40,000 towards projects which assist the organisation to raise standards of collections management and care and/or raise standards of public service delivery. Glasgow City Council has recently applied to the fund and a decision will be made shortly.

Museums and Galleries

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what projected level of funding it will allocate to the Museums Galleries Scotland Recognition Scheme in 2009-10 and how much of this is to be allocated to museums and galleries in Glasgow.

Michael Russell: The projected funding for Museums Galleries Scotland in 2009-10 for the Recognition Scheme is £1,235,000. Glasgow is eligible to apply for funding.

National Conversation

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the organisations, groups or agencies that have been awarded funds to participate in the National Conversation, detailing the value and terms of each award.

Michael Russell: The following table shows grants paid to organisations in respect of the National Conversation:

  

 Organisation
 2007-08
 2008-09
 2009-10
 Total


 Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations
£12,043
£25,830
 -
£37,873


 Young Scot
£20,000
£30,000
 -
£50,000


 Council for Ethnic Minority Organisations
 -
£2,305
£8,615
£10,920



  The terms of grants to the SCVO and CEMVO were provided under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.

  The grant to Young Scot was provided under the Further Education (Approved Associations) (Scotland) Grant Regulations 1989.

  Each grant is intended to facilitate discussion about the issues set out in Choosing Scotland’s Future amongst relevant stakeholder organisations and interest groups as a contribution to the National Conversation.

National Conversation

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail its spending commitments to the National Conversation for 2009-10.

Michael Russell: Expenditure on the National Conversation during 2009-10 will be sufficient to ensure that the people of Scotland have the opportunity to debate the options set out in Choosing Scotland’s Future before reaching a decision in a referendum in autumn 2010.

Police

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers were in post in each of the last eight quarters, broken down by police authority.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is available in table 2 of Police Officer Quarterly Strength Statistics Scotland, 31 December 2008 , published by the Scottish Government on 3 March 2009. Copies of the publication are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47838).

Regeneration

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive where a report of the proceedings of the conference of the Community Regeneration and Tackling Poverty learning network held on 27 January 2009 can be accessed.

Alex Neil: A report of the proceedings of, and copies of the presentations given at, the Community Regeneration and Tackling Poverty learning network conference held on 27 January 2009 are available on the Scottish Centre for Regeneration’s website www.partnersinregeneration.com .

Scots Language

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to take forward the recommendations contained in the report, Audit of Current Scots Language Provision in Scotland .

Michael Russell: It is clear to me that the recommendations contained in the report of the Audit of Current Scots Language Provision in Scotland cannot be taken forward seriously without involving the Scots language community.

  My predecessor Linda Fabiani also shared this view, and shortly after publication of the audit hosted a conference on 9 February 2009 for individuals and organisations with an interest in Scots language matters, where the findings of the research were formally presented and possible ways forward to better promote and develop the Scots language in future were discussed.

  I intend to capitalize on the suggestions and views expressed by delegates at the conference and as a next step will soon carry out more focused consultation on the emerging issues with representatives from the Scots language community.

Scots Language

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will institute on-going monitoring of provision of support for the Scots language in order to build on the work done in the audit of current provision for the Scots language.

Michael Russell: The Audit of Current Provision for the Scots Language was not intended to be exhaustive and could not capture every single act of provision in Scotland during the time available to the staff undertaking the research. However, the Scottish Government recognises the potential that such a resource offers to policy makers and language practitioners, and will take steps to enable individuals or organisations whose acts of provision were not captured in the first instance by the audit to send reports on their activities. Our intention is that the table of provision contained within the audit becomes a "living document", so that a broader picture of provision in Scotland may be presented throughout the year, as reported by Scots language providers.

Small Businesses

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many eligible businesses did not receive the Small Business Bonus in 2008.

Jim Mather: We are currently gathering information on the uptake of Small Business Bonus Scheme. Initial indications are that uptake of the scheme amongst eligible businesses has been strong.